btr.org - btr.org has daily, online Group and Individual Sessions for victims of emotional & psychological abuse and sexual coercion. For women experiencing pain, chaos, and isolation due to their husband’s lying, gaslighting, manipulation, porn use, cheating, infidelity, emotional abuse, and narcissistic abuse. Labeling a victim as "codependent" is a form of victim blaming. Pornography addiction / sex addiction are a domestic abuse issue. Narcissistic abuse is not a communication issue. We help women who are married, separated, or divorced heal through establishing emotional safety. If you suspect your husband is a narcissist, a pornography addict, or emotionally abusive, this podcast is for you. Every woman on our team has experienced betrayal trauma first hand. To learn more about Betrayal Trauma Recovery, visit BTR.ORG
https://www.btr.org/podcast/
episode 41: Finding Inner Peace After Trauma
Finding inner peace after trauma is important. Betrayed women deserve hope. They deserve peace. They deserve to find themselves again. Healing is possible. Difficult feelings like grief, anger, and sorrow are natural pieces of the healing process.
Anne shares her thoughts on finding inner peace after trauma. She dives into her own grief, her spiritual beliefs, and her progress toward healing. Read the full transcript below and listen to the free BTR podcast for more.
Difficult situations DO NOT cause abuse! Negative feelings do not cause porn use. Choices do. The type of man who is safe will feel sadness and shame and stress and then he will choose kindness. If he is religious, he will choose to obey the commandments. He will choose to protect his family. This is what you and I deserve.Anne Blythe, founder of Betrayal Trauma Recovery
Find Inner Peace: Allow Yourself To Grieve
Grief is a natural response to betrayal.
Many victims feel immense grief. They grieve for:
* The marriage they thought they had* The person they were before they knew about the betrayal* Their self-esteem* The man they thought their partner was* When separated or divorced, their ex-partner* The life they had planned* Their family* Their children* Their dreams* The future
Allowing yourself the emotional space to truly grieve. Be patient with yourself. Grief may come and go. Give yourself grace through this process. Understand that grieving takes time.
And remember, it's okay to miss and grieve your abuser.
On the BTR podcast, Anne describes the grief she experienced for the good things about her ex-husband:
I'm missing the really good things about [my ex-husband]. I'm also missing the times we worked together to accomplish things. We really got along on all major decisions, but because he was abusive we constantly had trouble with the little things. That's what made life difficult on a day-to-day basis.Anne Blythe, founder of Betrayal Trauma Recovery
How Can I Process Grief?
It's important for betrayed women to process their grief. Here are some ways you can process grief:
* Allow yourself to cry* Scream into a pillow* Give yourself time to do nothing* Write a letter to your past and future selves* Write an obituary about your marriage* Write a letter to God or your Higher Power* Draw or paint your grief* Draw or paint a self-portrait* Meet with a BTR coach* Join the Betrayal Trauma Recovery Group* Journal* Meditate* Write poetry* Write a song* Dance
For Religious Women: How Does God Lead Me to Inner Peace?
God wants you to be safe. He wants you to have a peaceful home. You cannot have a peaceful home with a ravenous wolf within the walls. Anne Blythe, founder of Betrayal Trauma Recovery
For women who believe in God, betrayal and emotional abuse are devastating on an additional level. Some wonder how God could allow it to happen, or wonder why God didn't change their abusive partner.
These understandable and painful feelings and questions can add a layer of grief, confusion, and anger to the already-excruciating emotions.
It is important for women of faith to know that God does not sanction abuse. In fact, he commands his children to flee from abusive situations. Victims can find solace in knowing that God hates abuse and comforts victims with the kin...